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We begin Proverbs 21 by considering divine judgment.
v.1 – Reminds us that God is higher than those who are tempted to think they are the highest.
v.2 – The Lord turns the heart where he will and, here in verse 2, we learn God weighs the heart. The truths we learn from both verses are intended to elicit awe-inspired worship of the God who is mighty in strength.
v. 3 – Teaches us to be concerned for righteousness. Why? The Lord is concerned with righteousness.
v.4 - Sin is used in this verse. Remember the context so far. We are to avoid what does not please the Lord. Sin is whatever does not please the Lord. He himself is the holy righteous standard.
In verse 5 we shift our attention from the Lord and his judgments to be reminded of the characteristics that mark Wisdom’s Way.
v. 5 - We learn the value of diligent work.
v.6 – Encourages integrity.
v. 7 – Wickedness will be swept away.
v. 8 – The upright path is a pure path.
v. 9 – The value of a peaceful home.
v. 10 – The distance pursuing wickedness leads away, even from those closest to you.
v. 11- Punishment and instruction are often used to either correct on Wisdom’s Way or to make the pathway of wisdom clearer.
v.12 – In my ESV Righteous One is capitalized. The reason for this is righteousness is personified as a person. We have seen Lady Wisdom and now we get to view a small brushstroke in the portrait of the Righteous One. He watches the house wickedness builds and notices its many weaknesses. Wickedness cannot stand up to righteousness.
v.13 – Often we are tempted to think of benevolence as distant from us. Verse 13 encourages us to remember, the distance between the poor and us might not be as wide as we think.
v. 14 - Again highlights the importance of a charitable attitude.
v. 15 – The righteous love justice. Evildoers fear justice.
v. 16 – A definitive road marker on Wisdom’s Way. This sign clearly reminds us of the importance of staying on the straight and narrow pathway of wisdom.
v. 17 – The benefits of temperance.
v.18 – People thinking clearly would always prefer to see the unrighteous punished. This verse reminds me of the crowds the day Jesus was handed over to be crucified. On that day, the folly of the people was in full bloom. They preferred the wicked and the traitor for the righteous upright one.
v. 19 – We focus again on marital relationships and are again encouraged to pursue peace in the home.
v. 20 – The wise man stores, the foolish man devours.
v. 21 – Another road marker encouraging us to continually walk on Wisdom’s Way. This time, unlike verse 16, the destination is put in positive terms. Wisdom’s Way is a Way leading to life, righteousness, and honor.
v. 22 – Reminds us of verse 12. We see again the flimsy fortifications of a house built in folly.
v. 23 – As we have seen repeated throughout these Proverbs, we focus again on the mouth and are encouraged to have a handle on our lips.
v. 24 – We learn the name of the arrogant – Scoffer.
v. 25 – Laziness is put in life or death terms.
v. 26 – The he of verse 26 is the sluggard of verse 25. We learn why he dies. He dies because he takes and never gives.
v. 27 – The wicked are warned about approaching the altar of the Lord.
v. 28 – Truthful words endure.
v. 29 – We again see the flimsy physique of the foolish. The façade they put up doesn’t make it through a moment.
We close Proverbs 21 the same way we began – through considering the strength of the Lord. Our wisest is foolishness to him. Our strongest is weakness. Any success we can amass comes from his good pleasure. A wise response to this reality is to trust in the Lord with all your heart.